I'd like to compliment you on your CCW article. It's a very good information for someone looking to start carrying. There are so many factors to consider that someone new to gun ownership won't find out on their own until months or years down the line. I'm a former LEO from a few decades ago and a club member. I was trained with and carried (past tense) a revolver while on the force. I didn't really get into semi-auto's until this year. The decision between the two can be a difficult one. However, I'd like to point out that a dirty revolver can be just as problematic, if not worse, than a dirty semi-automatic. Because the semi-auto has a generally more complex firing mechanism than a revolver, people tend to generalize and say it's more reliable. That theory, especially with all the wonderful new guns (including poly) doesn't really hold water anymore. Hence, you'll notice virtually all militaries and most police agencies now carry semi-automatics.

I believe in the theory of "cocked & locked"; meaning I have a semi-auto with a round chambered and the mechanism cocked. I use the guns safety(s) to prevent an accidental discharge. Most of my carry weapons have a 1911 style thumb safety, with the exception of my XD9c which has a grip and trigger safety. When you fire a semi-auto in single-action mode, you've essentially have a less complex mechanism than the revolver. Also, as many Bad Guys know, all you have to do to disable a revolver in double-action mode is to grasp the cylinder and prevent it from rotating. It's actually very easy to do.

That is not the case with a semi-auto which has been cocked and locked.

The other issue is gun safety. If there are children around, any child can almost instantly figure out how to fire a revolver. It's a little more complicated with a semi-auto with its safeties functioning.

I'm not discounting your article, but hopefully enhancing it a bit. I wholeheartedly encourage able-bodied citizens to learn to protect themselves and I believe knowing when and how to carry a gun is not only a right, but a responsibility if you decide to own a gun.

There are some great CCW (Carry Concealed Weapon) permit classes out there that are fairly inexpensive. In it (at least in Arizona) you will be required to show you are proficient enough with it to pass the class. So, it's a bit of a Catch-22 situation. But, guns can be rented or you might be able to borrow one from a friend for the purposes of the class.

Thanks for your very informative article.